Letters to the Editor: June 1, 2012

I sat through Carlsbad’s last Planning Commission meeting as city staff reviewed the final recommendations for changes to the city’s general plan.

In responding to earlier public input regarding the lack of any specific plan to purchase open space per the 2002 Proposition C, staff stated “Prop. C did not specify money or require expenditure” for any of the four projects (aquatic center, safety center, Cannon Road extension, open space acquisition) voted upon.

Bowing to public pressure, the city eventually set aside $35 million for Prop. C; $30 million, which has gone toward the first two projects. The above mentioned quote sounded to me like poor justification for not spending any money for preserving our shrinking natural lands. Was Prop. C written to include open space acquisition only as a ploy to ensure its passage? It sure appears to me to be the case based upon what the city of Carlsbad has failed to do for over 10 years.

Paige DeCino,

Carlsbad

Bullying tactics

Mayor Jerome Stocks’ directing the deputy sheriff, at the May 23 Encinitas Council meeting, to interfere with David Smith’s speaking at the dais, when his back was to Council, violated Smith’s right to address agendized fire response issues. Smith wasn’t interrupting the meeting or speaking “out of turn.”

Stocks interfered with Smith’s civil liberties by insisting the deputy as “Sergeant at Arms,” intercede, actually placing his hand on Smith, as a warning he would be escorted out, if he didn’t “comply.”

Our mayor isn’t a dictator; Stocks serves at the pleasure of council. Council should have a working knowledge of parliamentary procedure; they should realize a regular meeting agenda cannot be properly set WITH NO REFERENCE TO APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES, as has been done since May 16, 2012. This abrupt change in policy is another violation of process and abuse of Stocks’ discretion in setting the agenda.

According to parliamentary procedure, Robert’s Rules of Order, and Encinitas policy, Stocks should have brought back, by the May 16, 2012 meeting, agenda issues he raised, on May 9, 2012, of pulling the April 18, 2012 minutes re: reporting oral communications; also allowing public and Council discussion of the question of renewing Peder Norby’s contract as 101 Czar. Stocks improperly “tabled indefinitely,” the Norby matter, without Council’s vote.

Stocks pressures council to take actions not listed for consideration on the agenda. He before made a motion for a specifically unagendized and undiscussed process of mayoral selection. Next Stocks conditioned his “second” to Councilmember Mark Muir’s motion to discontinue the ban of Maggie Houlihan’s image on the back of the Arts Alive banners, with his insistence that the City no longer accept applications for permits, pending sign code revision. Concerned citizens strongly feel Stocks’ ongoing bullying violates our civil liberties, public policy, city process, parliamentary procedure, as well as Encinitas Municipal Code.

Lynn Marr,

Leucadia

Jerry Tetalman is my guy

President Obama needs more Progressive Democrats in Congress to trim the budget humanely, close corporate loopholes, break up the monopolies, end subsidies for industries that no longer need help, tax the rich fairly, reform Wall Street’s casino, and write the right laws.

With a Democratic majority in Congress, we can get back to fiscal and global responsibility, quit occupying other nations, bring more jobs home, and grow new jobs for a bright green future.

Jerry Tetalman’s first career was nursing. He knows our healthcare system’s faults. He’ll push for Universal Healthcare. Every other First World Nation considers healthcare to be a fundamental human right. So do I, and so does Jerry. We can fix our healthcare system, and make it work better for us.

We are all aging, and soon we will have a majority of non-drivers. I am a big fan of smart mass transit. So is Jerry! If we were truly one nation, wouldn’t we have a high-tech high speed First World transportation network that would allow all of us a choice in travel?

I want Veteran’s Benefits and Social Security Benefits to be increased so that none of us need fear a life of poverty after military service, disability, or retirement. Jerry is on my side with this, too. Aren’t you?

Join me in voting for Jerry Tetalman. No lawyer, nor a slick wheeler-dealer, but a mindful and kind thoughtful guy. Replace the do-nothing, anti-woman, anti-education, anti-facts, anti-Middle Class blowhard incumbent. Tetalman is the guy who will work for the rest of us!

Don’t just take my word for it. Look it up!

F.M.Chambers,

Carlsbad

Carlsbad’s Funny Math

At the May 22 Carlsbad City Council budget workshop, they came up with the latest of a long line of excuses for why zero dollars has been allocated to open space acquisition.

Chuck McBride, Finance Director, said the City now has “only” $60 million in reserve funds. Since their goal for reserves is 50 percent of the operating budget of $150 million they really don’t have a dime to spare. Hmmm. Three weeks ago they had $81 million in reserves (UT 4/28/12), which was 85 percent of the 2010-11 general fund expenses.

Could they have lost $21 million in three weeks? Or are they just running out of excuses? Allocating funds to open space is an investment. It is part of the legacy one generation leaves for the next. We think it is time to invest in open space.